Category Archives: Launches

Rautangi

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Rautangi on patrol - original

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RAUTANGI
photos & details ex Don Barry

The top photo of Rautangi running at full chat shows Don’s uncle Tim on the cabin top, to quote Don “mad as a cut snake – pipe in his mouth holding fast against the wind… OHS would have a field day” Chances are she would have been petrol powered……. She is flying a PATROL burgee, anyone able to suggest the origin of the burgee?
I’ll sure HDK will enjoy this photo, matches his attitude to helming launches 🙂

The 2nd photo is again of uncle Tim, who was a regular on Rautangi.  With him is here  is Don’s uncle Doug.

Rautangi was built by Collings & Bell& launched on the 18th May  for Mr. L. Stericker. She measures 37′ x 9’6″ x 2’8″ & is currently midway thru a major refit happening at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty but due to changing personal circumstances is listed for sale on trademe.

More photos showing her past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/23/rautangi/

Below is a copy the boats official song.

Rautangi - front page [#2] 2

Rautangi - inner page [#2]

Harold Kidd Input

Love it!
Les Stericker was a well-known petrol-head with his racing hydroplanes all called HUM BUG. I think there were 5 of them, the last a “Blimp” type built by Collings & Bell in November 1929, 12ft 6in with a 32hp Elto 4 cylinder outboard, the top go-fast gear of the time. He was a precision engineer in Newmarket. No doubt the 6 cylinder side valve petrol Thornycroft RD6 engine (photo below) in RAUTANGI was well breathed upon.
As for the “Patrol” flag, Lees and RAUTANGI did a lot of NZPBA and RNZYS mark boat etc work.

The RD 6 Thornycroft engine when launched

Thornycroft RD6

CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta

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CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta
photos from Simon Smith, Rod Marler, Peter Loughlin & myself

Yesterday (06-03-2016) was the final day of the 3 day regatta & the weather gods delivered the goods to finish the regatta on a high note.
I’ll let the photos tell the story but really need to say that the new venue & host club, the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron was a winner with everyone, perfect venue for our event & the crew at the RNZYS were fantastic.
I’m sure race results will be view able on the CYA website, I’ll post a link when they go live. Enjoy 🙂

Remember to click on photos to enlarge

Day 1 – sorry working

DAY 2

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Day 3

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Prize Giving

CYA Regatta Fleet @ RNZYS

PLUS – some great up close photos on Jason Prew’s facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/jason.prew/media_set?set=a.10154699374602178&type=3

Wairangi – heads north

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WAIRANGI- THE JOURNEY NORTH - PICTON TO AUCKLAND- PT 1- A CLEAN BUM FIRST

WAIRANGI- THE JOURNEY NORTH - PICTON TO AUCKLAND- PT 1- SHAKE DOWN CRUISE WAITANGI WEEKEND - 1

WAIRANGI- THE JOURNEY NORTH - PICTON TO AUCKLAND- PT. 1- DEPARTURE DAY 1

WAIRANGI – Heads North
photos ex Owen Foster via Ken Ricketts

As previous noted on ww Wairangi has been sold & is relocating to Auckland, Waiheke  Island I believe. Owen supplied this collection of photos from the passage from Picton to Auckland. Wairangi was designed by Wren Carey & built by Andy Miller of Miller & Tunnage fame. For a 1934 vessel of her design she is unusual in that she was launched as a pleasure vessel, which goes against her looks that scream ‘work boat’ converted to pleasure use. Wairangi was the opposite as she became a Lyttelton pilot boat c1948.

To view / read more details of her past click here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/28/wairangi/

05-03-2016 Arrives safely at Waiheke Island

07-04-2016 – Wairangi getting a little love at Pier 21. Photo ex Rod Marler

Wairangi at Pier 21

11-04-2016 Update & photos below from CYA member Neil Williamson (owner of MV Safari & the mullet boat Arawa)

Currently doing some work on Wairangi at the moment and thought I would share some pics now the hull has been stripped back showing the planks in fantastic condition
She’s so well made and still in great nick. Great to work on ones like this.

26-10-2016 – photo below of Wairangi in Smokehouse Bay, Great Barrier Island 28/03/2016. ex owner via Ken Ricketts.

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Lady Evelyn

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LADY EVELYN

I took the above photos recently in Matiatia Bay, Waiheke Island, from the mooring I assume she is a permanent resident there & hence know nothing about her. So woodys can we shed some light on the lady?

Remember the 3 day CYA Classic Yacht Regatta start today. Photo below of some of the early birds tied up in front of the RNZYS at dusk last night.

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Lake Rotoiti Antique & Classic Boat Show

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Lake Rotoiti Antique & Classic Boat Show – This weekend

For the South Island woodys this weekend (5>6th March 2016) sees the running of the 17th Antique & Classic Boat Show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes.
Always a spectacular weekend in a stunning location.

If there are any ww followers attending, pack the camera & send in some photos.

More details here http://www.nzclassicboats.com/

David Glen sent in the photo below of the 1st arrival 🙂

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Awatere

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AWATERE
photos ex Pam Cundy

The above photos of Awatere were taken by Pam over the 2015/16 Xmas / NY period. I’m assuming that she is from the McGeady stable, can anyone from the McGeady fan club confirm?
What else do we know about her?

More photos below ex Karen Moren, Ken Ricketts & Hylton.

AWATERE c1950s OKAHU BAY

 

Lady Mae (Antipodes)

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Lady Mae

LADY MAE (Antipodes)
photo & details ex Evening Post (paperspast) via Peter Loughlin

The above press clipping shows Lady Mae moored at Port Nicholson just after her arrival from Auckland in late November 1939. She was purchased by a Mr L Boielle, who renamed her Antipodes. At the time of her trip from Auckland to Wellington, under the command of Auckland yachtsman Mr D Wellington, she probably set a record for the passage for a craft of her size. Powered by a 38h.p. Ailsa Craig diesel engine, she did the journey in 76 hours. In my eyes a very pretty & sensible  launch.

Anyone able to enlighten us on what became of her in Wellington & later years. And if she is still around today?

Harold Kidd Update

I don’t know her origins (yet) but she was owned by Herbert Walker in Auckland in 1938 as LADY MAE, obviously then a recent rename. Walker sold her to Boielle of Wellington and he commissioned Dick Wellington to deliver her to Wellington. Dick had just got back from a Pacific cruise in his ketch SEAWARD and was waiting to go into the RNZAF. He was later killed on operations over Germany.
Boielle renamed her ANTIPODES but sold her to the Police in 1941 for use by the waterfront police at Lyttelton and sailed down in November. In 1943 she was chartered to the RNZN for boom defence work at Wellington . After WW2 she was retained by the Gorvernment, renamed ROTOMAHANA and used as by the Tourist Dept on Lakes Rotomahana and Tarawera.
She was 34’x9’6″.

PS Herbert Walker was a well-known dentist in Auckland. With his brother J.M. Walker, Herbert owned several launches including the 27ft DRAYTON built for them in late 1912 by H.N. Burgess of Judges Bay and the second 35ft DRAYTON built in 1916. In 1939, Herbert Walker was Commodore of the NZ Power Boat Ass which changed its name that year to the Auckland Motor Yacht Club.
I still can’t figure out the builder of LADY MAE, but she did have that name as early as 1935.
I suspect that LADY MAE is involved in the complex swapping and renaming of launches between the Walkers, with their DRAYTONs, David Teed, with his MAUDE T’s, W A Wilkinson, with his SPEEDWELLs and H.D. Heather, with his ROTHESAYs which is a nightmare.
Herbert Walker married Mary May Henderson in 1927. Just maybe she’s named after her?
Work in progress…..

Lisa Rose

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LISA ROSE
photos & details ex trademe

Lisa Rose was built by C.E Thompson (Boat Builder & Motor Engineer) in Dargaville to pull out big Kauri logs via rivers.
She measures 22′ & is powered by a 1980 40hp Isuzu diesel, reconditioned in 2010,  the engine is keel cooled, making her an ideal vessel for going up rivers e.g. she can make it up the Puhoi river to the Puhoi Pub.

Lisa Rose is an old boat, possibly c.1940.  Keen to learn more re her past & year of build.

Harold Kidd Input

Charles Eric Thompson was born in 1875 and died in December 1965. A lot of his boat building was at Aratapu but he died living at Beach Road, Dargaville. He was building until late in his life, but even in 1940 he was 65. Nice model of a hull.

Mystery Launch 29-02-2018

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Mystery Launch 29-02-2018
photo ex A. Turnball Library / Whites Aviation

Todays photo is dated 29 Jan 1950 & is from the 100th Anniversary Day Regatta. The ferry spectators are watching the 18 footer race.
Who can ID the launch in the forefront?

A Salty Little Place – Port Motueka

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A Salty Little Place – Port Motueka
photos ex Daniel Renall

Dan, owner of the very beautiful & slippery classic yacht Jonquil* sent in the above gallery of photos from his recent trip south. They showcase a collection of the classic craft moored at the Port Motueka marina. As I jokingly commented to Dan, if you owned the varnish franchise for the area you would go broke very quickly 🙂
Some have been featured on ww before but if a southern woody is looking in on ww today, it would be nice to ID some of the vessels.

* check out Dan’s recent re-fit of Jonquil http://classicyacht.org.nz/cyaforum/topic/jonquil-winter-work-2015/

Remember to drop into ww on Sunday, I have a great post on the history behind the Okura gigs. A great read & lots of photos.

St Ayles Skiffs

You may recall a few weeks ago that ww featured the recent Raid NZ that took place in & around the greater Auckland area. The event featured the increasing popular St Ayles rowing skiffs. One of the international rowers was Murdo Macleod – click the link below to see Murdo’s photo essay of the event. You will quickly discover that Murdo is a professional photographer. This essay appeared in the UK newspaper/online ‘The Guardian’, some great coverage for the event & NZ.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/ng-interactive/2016/feb/25/coastal-rowing-new-zealand-kiwi-st-ayles-skiff-raid

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